A Unique Journey: From Design to Venture Capital

Driving Alpha

Leura Craig is the founder and managing partner at Outlander VC, a venture capital firm specializing in pre-seed and seed-stage investments. A former operator turned investor, Leura brings her entrepreneurial experience to venture capital, having previously bootstrapped and scaled two startups, including L&W, which raised $30M from top investors like CRV and Benchmark. Leura is passionate about discovering diverse founders from unconventional markets, and her current focus includes sectors like AI, hardware/robotics, and the future of work. Recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 and named one of Goldman Sachs’ “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs,” Leura is reshaping how early-stage venture is done.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• 00:00 Introduction to Laura Craig
• 00:17 From Designer to Venture Capitalist
• 00:52 The Value of Operator Experience in VC
• 03:24 Outlander's Unique Founder Framework
• 05:36 Outlander's Impressive Track Record
• 07:01 The Origin Story of Outlander Ventures
• 12:55 Ruthless Prioritization for Founders
• 14:43 Fund 3 and Investment Strategy
• 20:32 The Importance of Trust and Honesty
• 24:06 Conclusion and Future Outlook

In this episode... How does operational experience transform a venture capitalist’s approach to investing? Leura Craig, founder of Outlander VC, shares her journey from a successful founder to managing a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage startups. With a reputation for identifying and nurturing high-potential founders, Leura emphasizes the importance of understanding the founder's mindset and building long-term trust.

Leura explains how Outlander VC uses a proprietary 38-point framework to evaluate founders, going beyond traditional metrics to focus on human attributes like resilience, vision, and adaptability. In this conversation, she discusses how trust and open communication are central to Outlander's philosophy and shares lessons from investing in 18 multibillion-dollar companies.

The episode also delves into why the next few years represent a unique opportunity for first-check investors, particularly in sectors like AI, hardware, robotics, and the future of work. Leura stresses the importance of disciplined investing, prioritizing ownership, and focusing on building diverse portfolios that reflect the changing landscape of venture capital.